1. Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to a wire clamp and a wire bonding apparatus having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor packages may be manufactured using a series of assembly processes, e.g., a sawing process, a die bonding process, a wire bonding process, a molding process, a marking process, and so on. Among the assembly processes, the wire bonding process may refer to a process bonding a pad of a semiconductor chip with another pad, e.g., a lead of a lead frame or a pad of another semiconductor chip, by a bonding wire.
A conventional wire bonding process may include a device depositing a bonding wire via, e.g., a capillary, onto the two pads to be bonded, such that the two pads may be electrically connected to each other through the bonding wire. The device may further include a clamp for the bonding wire and a wire bonding monitoring system (WBMS) for monitoring whether the wire bonding processes is performed smoothly. For example, the WBMS may send detection current through the bonding wire and the clamp to measure impedance, thereby determining whether a proper electrical connection/disconnection exists.
The conventional clamp for the bonding wire, however, may be contaminated when the wire bonding process is performed for a long time. As a result, the WBMS may measure an incorrect impedance value, e.g., the WBMS may measure an impedance value that corresponds to the contaminants and not to an actual wire bonding state, thereby generating an incorrect signal regarding the electrical connection of the bonding wire. Consequently, manufacturing defects in the bonding wire and/or process irregularities, e.g., unnecessary process discontinuance, may be caused. Further, the conventional clamp for the bonding wire may be formed of a material vulnerable to abrasion, i.e., a material with low rigidity, thereby causing abrasion of the clamp when the wire bonding process is performed for a long time, e.g., due to friction and natural machine deterioration. As a result, clamping in the wire bonding process may not be performed properly, so the bonding wire may not be reliably clamped and/or supported, thereby causing defects in the resultant bonding wire or irregularities in the process.